StarPos SA has announced that there have been updates in its J2 offering in association with Motorola, to ensure their POS terminals can handle the newest generation of 2D scanners. StarPos SA, a division of bar code and print specialist, PDC, is the local distributor of J2.
“We're very excited about this technology,” says Frikkie Koegelenberg, CCO at PDC. “To date, bar coding has had fairly conventional usage in the marketplace, but with mobile bar coding, I anticipate some radical changes on the horizon.”
Designed for mobile tagging applications, the scanners are able to read bar codes on paper labels, as well as reflective surfaces like cellphones and computers. Mobile tagging is a 2D electronic bar code that can be stored on a mobile phone and the technology is having far-reaching impact.
Applications include mobile loyalty and gift cards, coupons, ticketing (ie, movie and sporting events), shopping, opt-in marketing programmes, product packaging, customer self-service and CRM. They are rapidly gaining a following as customers appreciate their ease of use, along with the immediacy of accessing products and services.
According to J2 sources abroad, mobile bar codes offer a good opportunity to reach a relatively untapped market. The biggest challenge to date has been securing customer buy-in, but as more companies find ways to achieve this, those who have neglected the area are likely to lose out.
Advantages of mobile bar codes include low cost, speed of delivery and green value. They also provide tremendous scope for innovative, cost-effective marketing programmes. For instance, retailers can send special offers to customers in store by accessing GPS data. Gift vouchers can be bought and delivered in moments, and on-the-spot electronic purchases from advertisements can be facilitated using secure payment.
Consumers are also able to access additional product information by scanning bar codes into their phones, as well as interacting directly with manufacturers if necessary. Essentially, the system opens up direct communication between retailer and consumer.
“The mobile market has grown at a phenomenal rate. Now companies have a practical means of reaching this market in a manner that is as dynamic and flexible as the medium itself. There's virtually no limit to what can be done,” concludes Koegelenberg.
Web site: www.tpdc.co.za
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